The one with the proposal
by teamstevesass
Summary: Three years after Tartarus, Percy asks Annabeth an important question. Originally posted on my AO3 account, under the name iAvenge Nerds. Percabeth.


For once, my dreams where just weird. No nightmares, not much fortune-telling, just straight up weird dreams like a normal person. I've had nightmares with evil titans and giants, and some where I've been left to the harpies. But this was so weird it was the scariest thing I've ever dreamed.

I woke up in my bed. Only it wasn't my bed. I was in the Demeter cabin, surrounded by flowers and plants. I stood up only to see that the plants are wrapped around my limbs. I struggled for a while until I remembered my sword. As soon as I uncapped my pen, they shrunk into the floor. I ran outside, only to find purple shirts.

I was in Camp Jupiter.

Only then did I notice the weirdest thing yet. They had the heads of monsters I've killed. All of them. Even Reyna had a head of a monster. The only demigod not affected was Octavian, who seemed to be the one ordering this army of demigods.

I felt a tap on my shoulder and turn around to find Annabeth. But when I try to kiss her, I get hit by a spear. Ares is standing behind me. Then, just as unexpected as a spear stabbing, Ares gets struck down with the butt if a sword. Ares collapses and reveals Hephaestus with an evil grin on his face.

And just as I'm about to get stabbed by Leo's dad, I wake up to see Tyson standing over me.

"Brother? Brother?" He shakes my shoulder as his huge eye states down at me.

"What do you want Tyson?" I said, although it comes out more like "whadyawan" because my face was muffled by my pillow.

"Percy!" My dad was standing back, at the entrance to my cabin.

"Dad?" He was just standing there in his normal khaki shorts like a normal person and not an immortal god. "Dad! Why are you here?"

"Can't a dad visit his own son?"

"Just wondering!" I put my hands up to show surrender. "But seriously why are you here?"

"I heard some news. Gossip really. Aphrodite lives for knowing everything about everyone's relationships. I normally tune it out but she mentioned something about you and Annabeth at the latest "Greek-gods-laughing-at-Greek-mythology" meeting."

"What did you hear?" I queried.

"Now tell me if I'm wrong. But for one, Aphrodite saw you walk out of a jewellers with a small box, and two, Leo told Will who told Nico who told Hazel who told Frank who told Jason who told Jupiter who told Mars who told Frank who told Piper who told her mom. So a long line of people have minor ear-witness accounts of this story." He was tinkering with a tap in my mini waterfall, while Tyson was playing with something made of Celestial bronze.

"You're not wrong. I bought a ring. Doesn't mean I'm going to propose."

"That's normally what a ring means." He was still tampering with the waterfall, although now it looked like he was trying to get the water to go up.

"What if she says no? What if I mess up? What if she finds someone new? What if-"

"You literally have been to hell and back with each other. If she was going to leave you, she would've done it by now."

"But what about Athena? She hates me. She'll never let us get married," I argued.

"I think Aphrodite can change her mind."

"Ok, ok, whatever." This conversation was getting annoying, and quickly going somewhere I'd rather have locked in my head. "Anything else? Because I really want some breakfast." On cue, my stomach growled.

He turned from the fountain to face me. "Oh, in some Gods news, Aphrodite hinted at the fact that she actually does love Hephaestus. Although she'll never admit it to anyone..."

"Cool, I'll be sure to tell Leo and Piper. Can I go _now_?"

"Yes, yes, you can go." He turned back around to the waterfall, but Tyson followed me out to the pavilion.

I was late, but only by a few minutes. And I had an excuse; my immortal Dad came for a visit. The only one that could argue that reasoning is Mr. D, but he's not even in Olympus, and Poseidon is in the Big Three, so my dad could overpower him any day.

I noticed as I got closer to my table that Annabeth kept glancing over at my table. I could tell she was worried, although nobody else seemed bothered. I thought about surprising her, but I don't want to be Judo-flipped today. I contemplated for a minute or two about surprising her, even if I would end up judo-flipped on the ground. Or maybe she would hold her dagger to my neck. Either way, I won't die, and it'll be something to laugh at later on, so I took my chances.

I put my finger to my lips to try and keep everyone quiet. Sneaking past the Hermes table was hard, because Connor and Travis wanted to talk pranks, and everyone else just got really quiet, but as soon as I left they got rowdy again. When the Aphrodite cabin realized what I was doing they started squealing. I finally got to the Athena table; I told Malcolm what I was doing. He said he'd try to keep everyone calm to help me. He did his job well because everyone was calm and normal when they saw me.

As soon as I got behind Annabeth, I made sure she was looking forward before I stood up. Just as she was about to look around, I put my hands over her eyes. I leaned down so I was only an inch from her ear, then whispered, "guess who?"

"Seaweed brain?" She turned in her seat to face me. "I was worried! You're always here before breakfast on weekdays and nobody knew where you were!"

"Did you think to check my cabin?" I asked. It was the most obvious place, besides the lake, to hide.

"I did! There was no one in there!"

"Oh. Well if you were planning on judo-flipping me, you better do it now. I'm starving," I said.

"I just get worried. You can go eat."

"Woah, not even a knee to the throat while after I'm not even flipped? Wise girl's gone soft," I joked. I waited for her to answer, but she just ate her breakfast. "Not even a comeback? HEY CONNOR! TRAVIS! ANNABETH'S GONE SOFT!"

"HOW?" Travis yelled back.

"SHE DIDN'T FLIP ME OR ANYTHING HARMFUL AND JUST LEFT IT WHEN I SAID SHE WAS SOFT!"

"THAT'S BAD DUDE! I'D DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT!" Connor told me.

"GOT IT! WE'LL TALK LATER!"

I kissed Annabeth in the cheek and sauntered over to my table. She still kept looking at me. Or maybe it was my table. It was in my general direction either way.

As I scraped my food into the fire for a burnt offering to my dad, I asked if he could get Aphrodite to help change Athena's mind. And to talk me up to Athena. I was nowhere near old fashioned, with getting blessing from parents and that kind of things, but I don't want to propose just to be attacked by owls every day until I die. I also convinced Piper to ask her mom to convince Athena for me. Her inner child of Aphrodite came out and got excited, and then agreed to help me.

I was almost halfway to being ready to propose. My dad knew, I had the ring, and Athena was going to have two Gods after her, trying to talk me up and get her to like me. I just had to call my mom to tell her. I was really hoping Leo had gotten the monster proof phones finished, but that's where my luck ran out. They were getting closer, but I would have to wait a few weeks before I could call. So I took a drachma, set my fountain to make a rainbow, and called my mom via IM.

"Hello? Mom?"

"Percy?"

"Hi mom!" I waved to her and she started tearing up.

"Percy!" Paul, my stepdad, greeted me. "To what do we owe this pleasure?"

"Um, I just thought I should tell you, um, I'm gonna ask Annabeth to marry me."

"Oh that's so sweet! When? How? I want all the details!"

"Um, are you sure you're not a child of Aphrodite?" I asked. She always got excited when I told her about my dates with Annabeth. She was as bad as the children of Aphrodite themselves! "Or at least a legacy?"

"I don't think so, but seeing as everyone is related if you go back far enough, it could be possible," she replied. "But still, the details."

"I have no idea. But going through hell and back makes you realize things, and I won't live forever. Well, if I had accepted that gift a few years ago, I would, but I'm not a God. I'm mortal. And with all of the monsters I attract, I won't live as long sad others. So I thought, no time like the present." I awkwardly scratched my neck, not liking how deep into my thoughts I was going and sharing. Sure, it was only my mom and Paul, but they're still my thoughts.

"That's so sweet. Well, good luck. I need start planning!" My mom ran off and left me and Paul.

"Make sure she gets some food. And some rest. And don't let her get her hopes up. I still have to ask," I told my step-dad.

"No problem Percy. Good luck."

"Thanks. Well, bye, I guess."

"Goodbye Percy."

I swiped my hand through the screen and sighed. Halfway there. All that was left was news from Olympus, and actually asking, which is the most important thing, of course.

I wasted my days playing basketball, swimming in the lake, teaching sword fighting, and pulling pranks with Connor and Travis. It helped keep me distracted, and it was pretty hilarious. We pranked almost everyone at camp, except Leo, Annabeth, Jason, and Piper. Hazel and Frank got pranked, and they're all the way at Camp Jupiter. It was the best few days of my life.

Then the news came. It was terrible, but it's not what I was hoping for. Yeah, it's cool that Piper's mom loves Leo's dad, and that Aphrodite tried to convince Athena to like, or at least respect mine and Annabeth's relationship, but it didn't work. She still hates me. She probably will until I'm in the Fields of Asphodel. Not even Elysium. She may not like me into I'm in the depths of Tartarus. Which would make no sense, but it's logical for Athena.

"Are you still gonna ask?" Piper asked me when I told everyone. Besides Annabeth, of course.

"No time like the present. But I just wanted Athena to tolerate us. Respect us. But she can't even do that! All I want is to not be followed around by owls for the rest of my life!"

"Dude, who cares if Athena doesn't like you? Annabeth has stuck with you for the whole time because she loves you, and she doesn't care if her mom likes her dating you or not. Just go for it dude." Leo's pep talk worked, so I went for it. I went to propose.

I had it all planned it. When Apollo's cabin starts the sing-along, I would wait until everyone was caught up in singing, including Annabeth. I would then tap her shoulder, and open up the box with the most expensive thing I've ever had in my possession, and hope she got what I meant. If not, I would ask her. Now, I have to ask.

It comes down to this moment. Everyone was singing. The bonfire was blazing up to the sky. We were at the top, away from most people, so it was semi-private. I took a deep breath. It was more fun fighting monsters in Tartarus. I slipped my hand into my pocket and grabbed the ring. I looked around. Everyone was singing and having a good time. _'I don't want to ruin this moment,' I_ thought. _'Not tonight. It's not the right time.'_

I stuffed the ring back in my pocket, and enjoyed the sing-along. I tried to think of a new way to propose, maybe something more private or intimate, or when Athena doesn't hate me – which will probably never happen, but a guy can dream.

When everyone started heading back to their cabins, Malcolm walked over, stopping a few feet in front of us. Annabeth didn't notice, because she was talking to one of her siblings from the Athena cabin. Malcolm raised his eyebrow and I shook my head.

"Hey, Wise Girl. I'm gonna go find Leo. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Not even gonna walk me back to my cabin?" She raised her eyebrow at me, trying to act sassy.

"Don't sass Persassy Annabeth. I love you." I kissed her, then ran off to find everyone to tell them it's off.

Jason and Piper were walking hand in hand towards the Aphrodite cabin. If I didn't know any better, I would swear that Piper uses Charmspeak on Jason. He's whipped. He goes everywhere with her. The only time they're not together is when it's Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, or "bedtime". We even have nicknames for their relationship.

"Hey, Superman! Wonderwoman! Gotta tell you something."

"Did you ask? Did she say yes? Can I plan your wedding?" Questions came flying out of Piper's mouth.

"Um, Piper, your inner daughter of Aphrodite is coming out," Jason quipped. She lightly slapped his shoulder, but laughed.

"And no, I didn't ask. It just didn't feel right. It felt like something between Percy and Annabeth, heroes of Olympus, not Seaweed Brain and Wise Girl. But I'm gonna plan something else, so don't say anything Piper."

"Why are you looking at me?" We gave her a 'you-know-why-don't-lie-and-pretend-you-don't-know-what-we're-talking-about' look. "Fine, fine, I'll be quiet! Can I talk about it to Hazel?"

"Yes, but nothing to Annabeth." I started running off to find Leo. "Oh, have you seen Leo?"

"Yeah, he was with Travis and Connor," Jason answered.

"Thanks. I'll see you later!"

Leo teased me about not asking, but I shut him up by saying that I at least have someone to ask. He had never stammered so much in all the years I'd known him. When I started to head back to my cabin, Leo mumbled something under his breath. I could barely tell what he said, and it took some deductive reasoning to figure it out, but he mentioned something about going back to rescue someone who he could ask.

"If you still have that astrolabe, I'll help you find her," I offered.

"What do you mean?" Even in the dark, I could tell he was flushed. His voice went up half an octave; just enough to give it away.

"Calypso. I asked the Gods to release her, but it seems they didn't. She deserves better than that island. Besides, the last line of the prophecy hasn't technically been fulfilled. And you swore on the river Styx you would go back. I'll help you. I can help with the sailing and locations."

"I swore to her -to myself- on the river Styx that I would go back for her. And if it takes you and me or an army of a thousand men, we are getting her back, and she's gonna love me."

"But, um, she's immortal, and you will die at one point in your life," I pointed out.

"Thank you, Captain Obvious," he muttered.

"But still, I can help you if you want," I offered.

"Thanks. I should go now. I don't want to get eaten by harpies." Leo started toward cabin nine, leaving me and my thoughts.

The next morning, I woke up with the best idea. It required me, Annabeth, and all the sassy I could possibly muster. I got the idea from a dream where Annabeth said she didn't like the name "Praetor Percy". I didn't tell anyone about it. They would laugh and think it wouldn't work, but I knew Annabeth better than anyone else. It would work or Hera's my new favourite god.

"Hey Wise Girl!" I called to Annabeth when she walked past the stadium where I was dividing a prank with Connor and Travis. "I gotta go. I'll be back in a few."

"What do you want Seaweed brain?"

"Walk with me."

I led her to the beach, where I had a picnic set up. It looked like I went all out, when in fact I stole some food from the Hermes cabin and stuffed it in a basket the Aphrodite cabin gladly lent me.

We started talking about things. Life. Wars we've won. Battles we've lost. Moments we wanted to strangle Leo and/or the Stolls. We eventually got into the topic of names, which was the greatest coincidence I've ever had. Screw Athena. The timing felt right, so I went ahead with my plan.

"Hey Annabeth, I don't like your name."

"What do you mean 'I don't like your name?"

"I think you should change it. Especially your last name."

"Change it to what?"

"Jackson," I said, a smirk clearly visible as I walked back to find Travis and Connor.

"Did you just propose?! Perseus Jackson get back here! You don't just propose then walk away! That's not how it works you little shit!" She kept yelling at me, but that was my point.

"Dude, where did you go?" Connor asked when I got back.

"Oh, I just proposed to Annabeth."

"What did she say?"

"I walked away before she could answer. And that was my point."

"Well whether she said yes or not, you should probably tell the Aphrodite cabin. They came round a minute ago to rig the Bonfire tonight to make firework hearts to "set the mood" for you and Annabeth."

"Ok. Thanks. I'll be back," I promised.

I ran off to find Piper to tell her to de-rig the fireworks. I'm not having the whole camp know about proposing. They can find out afterwards.

I passed Leo as I ran, who asked where I was headed. I explained quickly and ran faster to find Piper. I found her putting whipped cream in Drew's expensive bottle of mousse.

"Hey beauty queen!" I yelled, walking into the cabin. 6 people out of 8 in the room turned to look at me; the only ones not were Piper and Mitchell, a half-sibling of Piper that she befriended when she first got to Camp Half-Blood.

"What do you want Percy?" She sighed, clearly frustrated that I interrupted her pranking.

"It's off. Your little show, it's a no go. Don't need the help; I've set everything up myself. So you can call it off. Oh, and tell superman that we don't need Frank to come and turn into a spider to scare her into saying yes. Thanks!" I started making my way to the door before I turned around and have her a tip. "And you should try mixing in some hairspray, just so it stays."

"Thank you, pranking master," she replied sarcastically.

"You called?" Connor's head poked through the door to the cabin.

"Sarcasm. Learn it!" She must've used charmspeak, because he walked off mumbling something about sarcasm.

"Bye!"

I spent the rest of the day pranking, swimming, and practicing what I would say to Annabeth. I know I had already _asked_ , but she still has to answer. And I'm not making a fool of myself in front of anyone, especially her (even if I have before).

Annabeth confronted me after dinner, and she was pretty mad. Not quite Zeus when his lightning bolt had been stolen, but it wasn't far off. Ok, even that was an exaggeration. She was only ten percent mad.

"You know, that's not any way to ask a girl to marry you," she declared. "You're supposed to get down on knee and pull out a ring."

"Like this?" We were by the bonfire, and a lot of campers were milling about. I knelt down and pulled out the ring. I was doing it. I was actually properly asking Annabeth to marry me. She put her hands to her face. I knew she knew this was coming, but she still looked surprised. "Annabeth Chase, will you marry me?"

"What do you think, Seaweed Brain?" She asked, cocking her head to the side, a smirk plastered on her beautiful face. I jokingly looked away, acting embarrassed and sad. I just wanted to hear her say yes. "Yes."

After slipping the ring on her finger, she kissed me, and everyone cheered. My cheeks grew red, but I could care less.

Later that night, love seemed to be in the air. Jason and Piper were cuddling – which I thought secretly thought was cute, but I would never say that – and all the other couples looked at each other with love in their eyes. I even saw something between Nico and Will.

"Hey Jason!" I called out to my friend. He was sitting on the opposite side of the bonfire. "You're next!"

I never saw someone try so hard to kill me by staring at me. And I faced Medusa.


End file.
